Alex couldn’t sleep. She tossed and turned and flipped her pillow over at least a dozen times. It was too hot in her bedchamber. That was the problem. She climbed out of bed and made her way over to the window in the dark. Feeling her way around, she pushed open the casement. A rustling sound in the tree caught her attention. She peered and blinked out into the inky night sky. The light from the moon illuminated enough to see the outline of a man swinging from the large branch nearby. Alex’s heart nearly stopped. It couldn’t possibly be …
She rubbed her eyes and looked again. Yes. There was Owen … scaling the tree. She opened the window farther and nearly screamed as he swung himself inside. He landed in an ignominious heap on the floor just inside the window. He’d ripped his shirt, and there was a smudge of dirt on his cheek.
Alex clamped a hand over her mouth to keep from screaming and waking the household. “Owen,” she whispered fiercely. “What in God’s name are you doing? You could have been killed!”
Owen groaned, pushed himself to his feet, and brushed leaves from his hair. “Yes, I know that now. But I spoke to Lucy earlier, and she indicated that you may have had a change of heart from what you said to me earlier in the ballroom. And damn me, but I decided to take Claringdon’s advice.”
Alex hurried over to the bedside table and lit a candle. She returned to where Owen was standing, holding the stick aloft. “Claringdon’s advice?”
“Yes,” Owen replied. “Claringdon suggested I get drunk, punch a tree, climb into your window, and kiss you.”
She eyed him distrustfully. “Are you drunk?”
“No. I haven’t been drunk in days, actually.”
“Are you mad?”
“Not that I’m aware, but there’s every possibility. I’ve ruined a damn fine shirt, and my coat is resting on a hedge down there somewhere. I admit I fear for its safety. Though I have yet to punch a tree, so the odds seem to be in my favor. But I did climb one. Apparently, Claringdon’s in much better physical shape than I am because I nearly killed myself doing it. Perhaps it’s easier when you’re drunk. I can’t be certain.”
Alex stared at him with her mouth open. “You have gone mad.”
“Look, Alex, please listen to me.” He turned to her and addressed her fervently, pulling her hand into his. “Hear me out—and then if you want me to leave, I’ll go, immediately. You have my word.”
“Very well,” she said. “I’ll hear you out.”
Owen squeezed her hand. “When I was teaching you how to be a coquette, how to flirt and dance and bat your eyelashes, I was doing everything wrong. The reason you’re special is because you’re honest and forthright and refreshing.”
Alex held her breath. Had he just said she was special?
“You don’t play games,” he continued. “You don’t pretend to be someone you’re not. And that’s what I love about you. Among many other things.”
Tears stung her eyes. She swallowed past the lump in her throat. “Did you say ‘love’?”
“I did. I do. I can only hope that you will—” He dropped to one knee. “Lady Alexandra Hobbs, please tell me you’ll consider doing me the honor of becoming my bride.”
“You want to marry me, Owen?” The tears fell from her eyes.
“Yes, of course.” He fumbled in his coat pocket for a handkerchief and pressed it into her hand. “Please don’t cry, darling. Please.”
She dabbed at her tears. “I can’t believe you’re here, saying this. I can’t believe you traveled to Bath, and climbed a tree, and—”
“I not only traveled to Bath and climbed a tree, but I also gave all my money to the poorhouse, am planning a run for the House of Commons, and have begun volunteering at an orphanage.”
“Pardon?”
“That’s what I’m trying to tell you, Alex. You’ve made me a better man. From the day I first met you, you have. I’ve stopped drinking, I can’t remember the last time I gambled, and my life has purpose now.”
She quickly pushed the candlestick onto a nearby table and grabbed both his hands and squeezed. “Oh, Owen. I’m so happy for you. Truly, I am. I always knew you could find your way.”
“Do me a favor, love?”
“Anything.” She clutched his hand to her heart.
“Answer my question.” He grinned at her. “You never said. Will you marry me?”
“Yes. Yes, I’ll marry you.” She nodded, brushing away fresh tears.
He pulled her into his arms, and his mouth captured hers.
Alex’s head fell back and her eyes closed. “Take me to bed,” she whispered.
His hands trembled. “Are you certain?”
“Entirely.” She stared deeply into his eyes.
Apparently, that was all Owen needed to hear. He swung her into his arms and carried her to the bed. He laid her there so gently. The only light was from the one candle that she’d left burning across the room. He fell atop her and kissed her ravenously, and Alex wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed against his erection, which was poking at her most intimate spot through her gown. He ripped off her night rail and then stopped to remove his boots and cravat and shirt and breeches. They were all gone in short order.
“Are you certain, Alex?” he breathed again. She’d pulled the bedsheets up to her neck, but they didn’t stop her from looking her fill at his magnificent body. She’d once thought he looked like Adonis. More so when he was naked. His shoulders were wide and strong, his forearms muscled, his chest taut and lightly haired, and his abdomen flat. His hips were angular and his manhood stood out, in stark relief, reaching for her. He was huge. She wanted to touch him. Now.
“I’m certain,” she whispered, licking her lips.
There was a flash of relief across his face and then he smiled—and that dimple was her final undoing.
“Don’t hide from me, Alex. Let me see you.”
Alex hesitated but allowed him to pull the sheet away to uncover her nakedness.
“You’re perfect,” he breathed, his hands skimming over her belly and hips and breasts. He cupped her breasts and squeezed lightly. “Exactly as I imagined you would be.”
“You imagined me … naked?”
He snorted. “More often than I should have, I’m sure. What about me? Did you ever imagine me, like this?” He glanced down at his body.
“I couldn’t imagine,” she replied, biting her lip. “But I did hope I’d get to see.”
He chuckled at that and then kissed her again, deeply, his jaw jutting out. She ran her fingertips across its rough surface. Oh, this man was gorgeous and he was hers. Or at least he was going to be hers tonight.
“I only hope I don’t disappoint you,” she whispered in his ear.
He stopped, pulled back, and cupped her face in his hands. “Alex. You could never disappoint me. But I want to make it good for you.”
“What are you going to—?”
But he had already begun to move downward, and his mouth quickly found her right nipple. She gasped and nearly lunged off the bed. His wide hands on her shoulders pressed her back down. Then he moved a hand under her backside and pushed up. Her back arched and her breast strained into his mouth. She groaned and her fingers tangled in his hair. His mouth was doing things to her breast she’d never imagined possible. His teeth nipped at her. His tongue rubbed roughly against the sensitive peak. She arched her back farther, wanting his mouth to never stop.
“Owen,” she groaned. His other hand moved from her back to her other nipple, and he twisted it and rubbed it. She arched into his mouth and hand. He sucked her while she held his head, desperately hoping he didn’t move away, didn’t stop. Stabs of pleasure shot from her breasts to the secret spot between her thighs, and she clamped her legs together so the pressure building there wouldn’t be so unbearable.
“I’m going to make you come, Alex. Do you know what that means?” His hot wet mouth circled her breast. His words were warm puffs of air against her tortured nipple.
She shook her head frantically against the pillow. “No.” But whatever it was, she desperately wanted to find out.
He kept his hand on her nipple, squeezing, pulling, nipping, rubbing, while his mouth moved lower to the juncture of her thighs. “Spread your legs,” he commanded, his breath a hot brand on her soft skin.
“Yes,” she breathed. His hand pushed against the inside of her knee, spreading her open to him. His other hand remained on her nipple. Then his scorching tongue descended into the apex between her legs—and Alex forgot to breathe.
“Owen!” she cried softly as he licked her deeply. His tongue played with her, brushing the nub that was pulsing, throbbing, responding to the thrills still shooting down from her breast. He brought up his other hand from her knee and pulled her hand to her breast. “Touch yourself,” he whispered.
She tentatively squeezed the soft mound and then her fingertip glanced over her nipple and she gasped. She flicked her thumb over the sensitive spot just as he’d done moments earlier, just as he was still doing to her other breast. “Oh, Owen, I—”
But she didn’t know how to finish the sentence. Pleasure streaked down her abdomen, white-hot pulses of pure lust shooting from both breasts, fulfilled by the hot deep strokes from his lush tongue. He sucked her there, too, and her hips nearly came off the bed, the feeling was so intense. She whimpered. He brought his hand down and slowly pushed one finger inside her. Alex’s head fell to the side and she groaned. “Owen.”
“Just feel it, Alex, feel it. Let go.”
His mouth between her thighs, his thumb stroking her nipple, and then his finger pressing inside her, pulling out, pressing again—the combination was too much for her. Both her hands moved down to tangle in his thick hair, and he licked her again, again, again, pushing against the spot inside her that made her cry out and shatter. She clamped her thighs against his head as shudders—uncontrollable, delicious shudders—rocked her entire body.
Owen moved up between her legs and gazed down at her. He had a self-satisfied smirk on his face. He stroked her side, her arm, her shoulder, while Alex slowly floated back to earth.
“I can’t believe—I had no idea—I am simply—”
“I adore making you speechless.” He leaned down and kissed her deeply, and Alex tasted her salty sweetness on his tongue. It was probably wrong, but it felt so sensuous. She shuddered again.
“Yes, speechless,” she conceded. “That’s what I am.”
“Good.” His eyes hooded and he leaned down and kissed her once more. “Alex, I want you,” he whispered into her mouth.
“You have me,” she whispered back.
“I mean I want to be inside you.” He kissed her again, and liquid heat pooled between her thighs.
“Yes,” she breathed.
* * *
“Touch me,” Owen commanded. He pulled her hand down between his legs and wrapped her fingers around his cock. Sweet Jesus. The feel of her hand on him was torture. He closed his eyes and groaned. He moved her hand up and down, showing her exactly how he liked to be touched.
“Is this right?” she asked in a shy voice.
“Oh, love, it’s so right.” He closed his eyes and pressed his forehead to hers, hard.
He increased the tempo, wanting to plunge inside her but not wanting to frighten her or hurt her. His hips rocked to the rhythm set by her torturous hand. He thrust into her palm again, again, again. His hand moved between her legs to ensure she was ready for him; he slid one finger inside her. “You’re so hot, so wet. Do you want me, love?”
“Yes.” Her eyes were tightly closed but she nodded and she still had the hint of a satisfied smile on her gorgeous face.
“I want to make you fly,” he whispered into her ear, his tongue dipping inside the sensitive shell. She bucked beneath him and he pushed his hands to her hips, holding them to the mattress to steady her, readying her for him.
“Let go,” he commanded, and Alex’s hand fell away from his cock. He twined his fingers through hers and pushed her hand high above her head against the mattress, pinning her beneath him. “I’ve dreamed of this for so long,” he breathed, pressing himself into the wet heat of her. “I’ve dreamed—” His words were lost in his own groan as he pushed inside her. Her eyes flew open from shock, and he knew the second he’d breached her maidenhead.
She clenched her jaw, and a small wince appeared on her fine features. He kissed her nose, her eyelids, her cheekbones, her forehead. “Did I hurt you? Are you all right?”
She shifted beneath him. “I think so.”
He didn’t want to laugh, but the scowl on her face was adorable. He kissed the tip of her nose. “I love you,” he murmured, pulling out slowly and pushing back inside. “I love you,” he repeated each time he pulled out and pressed home.
Soon Alex’s head was flitting from side to side on the pillow. Sweat lined her brow. Owen’s hips pumped into her again and again, and he had to bite the inside of his cheek to keep from coming too soon. He wanted to make it good for her again. He lowered his hand between them and circled the tiny nub of her pleasure. Her eyes flew open and widened. “I didn’t know we could—”
“We can do anything.” He nipped at her shoulder. His forehead was slick with sweat, and he groaned against the desire to rock into her one last time and lose himself in her. “I want you so much, Alex. Come for me, love. Come for me.” Her hips were rocking, too, of their own accord, matching the rhythm of his hand. Her breath was coming in fitful little spurts and her hand moved up to stroke her own breast, just as he’d taught her.
“That’s right, touch yourself, come for me, Alex.” He moved his head down and sucked her nipple and bit it lightly. She arched off the bed, her thighs squeezing him tightly, his name on her lips.
Owen moved his head back up and kissed her deeply. His tongue plunged into her mouth and owned her. He cradled her face in his hands as his hips pressed into her once, twice, a third time, before he let himself go completely, his orgasm shaking him so badly, he cried out against her mouth and collapsed atop her gorgeous sweat-sheened body.
Moments later, Owen rolled over and pulled her atop him. Her magnificent hair was down around her shoulders, and he leaned up and pulled her neck down so she would meet his mouth. He kissed her again, long and slowly.
“I’ll never get tired of kissing you,” she said when he pulled away, pushing her hair behind her ear.
“I hope you never do. And I’ll never get tired of making love to you.”
She pressed herself to his chest and snuggled her head under his chin. “I hope not, Owen. I know you’re a rake, but—”
He pushed himself up on one elbow and took her chin in his hand. “No. Listen to me. I mean it. I will never give you cause to believe I’ve been unfaithful. I’ve sowed all my wild oats, and I’m quite through with it. What we did here tonight was a first for me, too. We made love. I’m entirely committed to you, Alex. I love you.”
Alex sighed and laid her hand against his heart. “I love you, too, Owen.” She ducked her head and blushed beautifully. “Now, do you think we could do that again?”